ESCAPE
HIGH ROAD
A Star is REBORN
The all-new Mercedes-Benz SL roadster is a performance TOUR DE FORCE By Howard Walker Remember an Armani-clad Richard Gere behind the wheel of that gleaming black MercedesBenz 450 SL in the 1980 classic American Gigolo? With Blondie’s “Call Me” booming in the background, the SL cruising along the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu was a rolling testament to brooding lust, elegance, and perfectly gelled hair. Alas, in recent years the oh-soclassy SL has lost much of its mojo as our love for drop-top sportscars has taken a nosedive. But the SL (short for Sport Light) is too big a nameplate for Mercedes to give up willingly. After all, those two little letters have been gracing the trunk lids of low-slung Benz sportsters since the legendary 300 SL debuted in 1952. So, drumroll please: The SL is back, brand new from the wheels up, with huge changes that include standard all-wheel drive, a return to a canvas top in place of a folding metal lid, two-plus-two seating, and V8 power. And to show how invested Mercedes is in its SL renaissance, it handed over development to the performance wizards at AMG—hence the two-seater’s fancy new name, Mercedes-AMG SL. Two versions will be on offer come springtime. Take your pick from the new SL 55, powered by an AMG-massaged 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 44
cranking out 469 hp, or the muscled-up SL 63 with a 577-hp version of that turbine-smooth V8. Gone is the bland, slightly milquetoast look of the previous generation model. Now it boasts a six-pack and a bulldog stance. Peep that barred-teeth front end in your rearview and trust me, you’re moving over. Its lower air intakes are big enough to swallow decent-sized critters, and a retro front grille and swept-back LED lights contribute to its intimidating mystique. Climb aboard, slide a finger across the iPad-like 11.9-inch tilting center screen, and that canvas top retracts in a zippy 15 seconds and at speeds of up to 37 mph. Of course, there are those who will lament the jettisoning of the folding metal roof. As a Floridian, I liked the duality it gave—offering the choice of coupe for summer, convertible for winter—
FORT LAUDERDALE ILLUSTRATED
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